Quilts are partially comprised of a predetermined arrangement of individual pieces of fabric. More specifically, quilts have a top layer, which is usually a decorated, layer of cotton or other soft material, and a bottom layer. The top layer has individual pieces of fabric that are interconnected to form larger blocks. A number of larger blocks are arranged to form the top layer of the quilt. Often, the individual fabric pieces that form the blocks are arranged to form commonly known designs, such as Crazy Ann, Granny's Flower Garden, Interlaced Block, Queen Charlotte's Crown, Yankee Puzzle, Attic Windows, Cathedral Windows, Dutchmen's Puzzle, Flying Geese, Snow birds, Baby Blocks, Basket Weave, Garden Maze, Real Fence, Snowball, Thousand Pyramids, Tumblers, and Yo-Yos, to name a few. Most block designs require the use of precisely cut triangles that are sewn onto another piece of fabric to create the desired effect. For example, half square triangles are often used as a base shape wherein a triangle piece of fabric is sewn onto a square piece at fabric along the hypotenuse of the triangle. Half square triangles are difficult to create since the diagonal seam is placed where the fabric has the most stretch, i.e. on the bias. The seam can thus stretch out of shape during sewing and pressing, thereby making the finished product unacceptable. It is one goal of quilt makers to stabilize this diagonal seam.
The prior art includes the use of a paper template to help position fabric pieces in relation to each other to aid in the fabrication of quilting block components. However, there are a few drawbacks of using a simple paper template to create the desired design. Paper templates are not easily positionable and securable to the pre-sewn fabric layers. Thus, when the fabric layers are sewn together, slippage may occur that will influence the finished product. Paper templates often require the quilt maker to add his or her own cut lines and other indicia with a fabric pencil or other means that aid them in making fabric squares. Lines of this nature are often difficult to see by one of diminishing sight thereby making it difficult to ascertain where to cut the individual fabric squares to yield the desired design. Further, some paper squares employ the use of pins to interconnect them with the fabric to be modified. The use of pins by individuals with lower than normal motor capability may be difficult, and pins still fail to prevent fabric pieces from slipping in relation to each other during sewing. In addition, pins often cause injuries to individuals. Finally, some of the templates used in the art are not applicable for commonly used patterns such as the snowball, flying geese, etc.
Thus there is a long felt need in the art of quilting to provide a template for selectively altering a piece of fabric for use in a quilting block. The following disclosure describes an improved template that is selectively interconnectable to layered fabric to prevent relative slippage of fabric pieces during sewing and cutting.